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T
HE
S
TOLEN
W
ILL
Translation and Exercises:
Anna Kowalczyk
Series Editor:
Adam Wolański
Warsaw 2006
Reviewer:
Dariusz Kętla
Copy editor:
Natica Schmeder
Production editor:
Barbara Gluza
Cover designer:
Michał Dąbrowski
DTP:
Krzysztof Świstak
Text and illustrations
copyright © by FELBERG SJA
Publishing House, 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the Publisher.
Printed in Poland
ISBN 83-88667-52-1
3
CHAPTER 1
CRIME AT THE NOTARY’S OFFICE
“What are you thinking about?” Tom Wills asked the famous
detective. “I get the impression that you’ve just read something really
interesting in the newspaper. Is there some intriguing story that we
should look into?”
Harry Dickson put down the paper.
“I’m afraid you are wrong, my boy. I have just noticed an obituary,
which brought back some memories.”
“Have any of your relatives died?” Tom said worried.
“No, not at all . . .”
“But this death has had a great influence on you?”
“That is true. It was a man whom I met by accident and whose life
was full of adventures.”
Tom Wills picked up the newspaper and looked, intrigued, at the
detective.
Dickson knew his assistant very well so after a quiet moment he said:
“He was a slave trader!”
“A slave trader?” Tom repeated rather surprised. “Slave trading is
forbidden all around the world.”
“He stopped doing it twelve years ago, but don’t be so shocked: there
are still areas in Africa where slaves are sold in public places. I met this
man because I did him a favor and in return he told me the story of
his life. Now he is dead . . . But what’s this?” the detective asked. “It
seems that somebody has come to visit us.”
Indeed, somebody rang the doorbell and Tom ran to let the person
in.
A tall man came in. His face showed worry and excitement.
“My name is O’Brien, I’m a notary,” he introduced himself in a loud
voice. “May I see Mr. Dickson immediately, please? It is a matter of
great importance.”
Soon the mysterious guest was standing in front of the detective.
“This young gentleman has probably told you my name. I’ve come
to you, Mr. Dickson, in connection with a matter that my life and
honor depend on. I’m begging you to help me.”
Harry Dickson observed the guest for a moment and then said:
“Mr. O’Brien . . . I’ve heard that name from old Mr. Firmont, the
slave trader.”
“Firmont!” the man exclaimed. “You said Firmont but I . . .”
“ . . . have come to talk about his case,” the detective finished with
a smile.
The notary looked at Dickson with great admiration.
“That’s incredible!” he finally said. “I’ve been told a lot about your
intuition but would you allow me to put it to the test?”
“If it makes you feel better . . .”
The notary hesitated for a moment.
“You said, Mr. Dickson, that you knew Mr. Firmont?”
“Yes, that’s true. I met him only once many years ago but I got to
know him very well.”
notary notariusz
impression wrażenie
look into zbadać
notice zauważyć
obituary nekrolog
bring back memories
przywoływać wspomnienia
relative krewny
worry martwić się
influence wpływ
by accident przypadkowo
adventure przygoda
pick up podnieść
slave trader handlarz
niewolników
forbidden zabroniony
do somebody
a favor wyświadczyć komuś
przysługę
in return w zamian
indeed rzeczywiście
excitement podniecenie
immediately natychmiast
matter sprawa
mysterious tajemniczy
in connection with w związku z
depend on zależeć od
beg błagać
exclaim wykrzyknąć
case sprawa do rozwiązania
admiration podziw
incredible niesamowite
I’ve been told powiedziano mi
allow pozwolić
put somebody to a test
wystawić kogoś na próbę
hesitate wahać się
4
“All right, so can you tell me why I have come here?”
Dickson looked at him and said with confidence:
“You have come to see me in order to ask for advice concerning the
slave trader’s will.”
O’Brien opened his eyes wide.
“Oh, my goodness! You are marvellous!”
“I believe that the will was stolen last night. I learned from the
newspaper that Mr. Firmont has died. But you are not interested in his
person but the document presenting his final will and testament. The
fact that you are so nervous must mean that something has gone wrong.
I’ll tell you more. I would guess that you had appointed someone to
take care of the will but he was attacked and robbed.”
“Oh my God!” O’Brien exlaimed. “Are you a clairvoyant?”
“No,” the detective replied. “The blood on the sleeve of your jacket
explained this puzzle to me. It’s not your blood, though. It belongs to
the person who was attacked.”
The notary sat down on a chair truly surprised. “You’ve guessed
everything. Mr. Firmont trusted me with his will and I put it into my
safe. Yesterday, in the morning, one of his relatives came to me, informed
me of his death and asked me to guard the will more carefully. But . . .
are you listening to me?” the notary interrupted his speech when he
noticed that the detective was looking somewhere else, not at him.
“I have never listened to anybody else with greater attention,”
Dickson replied. “Please, continue.”
“The relative added that the deceased left a great fortune, mostly
in gold and jewellery. Nobody knows, however, where this treasure is
hidden. He told me also that the reading of the will should take place
today. He warned me once again that I should take great care with the
document because there were people, among the heirs, who were ready
to do anything to get the treasure.”
“Is it true that they will read out the will today?”
“Oh no, not at all!” O’Brien denied. “I also thought that it was
strange because nobody else has contacted me to make an appointment
for this date.”
“I believe you found the document and put it aside in case the
reading would take place soon.”
“Of course. I didn’t remember at first where I had put it, but finally
I found it under a pile of other documents in my safe. I put it on
a separate shelf and to increase security I asked one of my assistants
to spend the night in my office. In the morning I found him in bed
bleeding heavily.”
While listening to the notary’s story Dickson started putting on his
coat.
“We’ve got to go there immediately. This case is extremely funny!”
The notary jumped.
“Funny?” he exclaimed. “In my opinion you have used the wrong
word, Mr. Dickson!”
The detective smiled.
“Please, don’t get me wrong but I can’t help laughing. This story
brings me much satisfaction but unfortunately I can’t share my
conclusions with you yet. Let’s go, each minute is precious!”
confidence pewność siebie
in order w celu
concerning dotyczący
will testament
Oh, my goodness! O mój Boże!
marvellous cudowny
learn
tu: dowiedzieć się
something has gone wrong coś
poszło źle
I guess wydaje mi się
appoint mianować, wyznaczyć
take care of zaopiekować się
rob okraść
clairvoyant jasnowidz
reply odpowiedzieć
sleeve rękaw
puzzle zagadka
though jednak
belong należeć
truly naprawdę
trust zaufać
guard strzec
interrupt przerwać, przeszkodzić
attention uwaga
add dodać
deceased zmarły
jewellery biżuteria
treasure skarb
hide (hid, hidden) ukryć
warn ostrzegać
take care with uważać na
heir spadkobierca
deny zaprzeczyć
make an appointment umówić
się
put aside odłożyć
in case na wypadek jeśli
pile sterta
shelf półka
increase zwiększyć
bleed (bled, bled) krwawić
extremely nadzwyczaj
get somebody wrong źle kogoś
zrozumieć
I can’t help laughing Nie mogę
powstrzymać się od śmiechu
share dzielić się
conclusion wniosek
precious cenny
5
A taxi, which was waiting in front of the house, took them to the
notary’s office. Harry Dickson ran fast upstairs.
“Show me the room in which your assistant stayed overnight.”
“The first room on the right,” the notary explained. “Wait a moment,
I’ll unlock the door.”
“That won’t be necessary,” the detective said. “It’s already open.”
He went in and carefully took a look around. The burglars had made
a hole in the door with a sharp tool. Then one of them had put his
hand through the hole and opened the lock. The assistant had been
asleep so they hit him over the head with something heavy, took the
key, easily opened the safe and stole the will. The detective thought for
a moment and asked:
“Has any money or anything precious been stolen?”
“No, absolutely nothing. Anyway, the amount of money in the
safe was rather small. The criminals were definitely looking for Mr.
Firmont’s will.”
“I have no doubts about that, either,” said the detective. “And where
is the young man, your assistant?”
“I ordered someone to take him home and call a doctor.”
“Isn’t the wound dangerous?”
“I’ve already told you that Jamesson, that’s his name, was all covered
in blood.”
The detective picked up a piece of wood which had been broken off
the door and examined it slowly.
“How long has Jamesson been working for you?”
“For a year. He’s a clever and intelligent young man. I guess you are
considering whether we should suspect him. Well, I can assure you that
he’s an honest man. But . . . what are you doing?”
Harry Dickson bent down and was looking at the hole in the door.
fast szybko
overnight na noc
unlock otworzyć
take a look around rozejrzeć się
burglar włamywacz
hole dziura
tool narzędzie
steal (stole, stolen) ukraść
anyway w każdym razie
amount ilość
doubt wątpliwość
wound rana
break off odłamać się
examine zbadać
consider rozważać
suspect podejrzewać
assure zapewnić
honest uczciwy
bend down schylić się
The detective picked up a piece of wood which had been broken off the door and
examined it slowly.
6
“I must verify where the missing part of this piece of wood is.”
“Will it help you discover who the burglars were?”
“Please, be patient. Can I see the safe now? Has Jamesson always
got the key to it?”
“No, I gave it to him last night. I was sure that I put it in the proper
hands.”
“I’m afraid you acted unreasonably,” the detective remarked ironically.
“I’d like to stress once again that Jamesson is a trustworthy
person.”
“He’s one in a million then,” said the detective pulling the key out
of the safe lock and looking at it thoroughly.
“Tell me, please,” he said after a while, “do you have a black man in
your office?”
“A black man? Absolutely not! Why would you ask such a strange
question?”
“I’ve asked you about it to confirm my guess. Would you mind taking
a look at this key, please? . . . Can you see that thick black curly hair?”
“Indeed, it looks like a black man’s hair,” the notary replied. “What
kind of conclusions do you draw from it?”
“Very simple. The burglar was definitely black. Now, let’s hurry to
see your assistant. If his wound isn’t too painful he will give us some
explanations.”
A few minutes later they arrived at the assistant’s apartment.
“Where is Mr. Jamesson? I’m his boss. I’d like to speak to him
immediately.”
“Mr. Jamesson,” the housekeeper said, “left yesterday for his office
and was planning to spend the night there.”
“But I sent him back home this morning,” the notary said surprised.
“Oh, my God!” the woman exclaimed. “So something bad has
probably happened to him! He told me yesterday that somebody had
been following him for days.”
“He has been murdered, I fear,” O’Brien said. “And it was me
who . . .”
At that moment the doorbell rang. They heard a male voice in the
corridor.
“Does a man called Jamesson live in this house?”
“He did yesterday,” the housekeeper answered.
“That is correct. A quarter of an hour ago we found his clothes in
the Thames. They’re all covered in blood. We found a wallet in the
pocket and a card with the name John Jamesson on it.”
“Oh, my Lord!” the notary said. “I recognize those clothes.”
“Who is that?” the inspector asked, “Harry Dickson?”
“Nice to see you, Wilson. Do you know anything about the burglary
which took place in Mr. O’Brien’s office last night?”
“Of course, I do. We were informed about it early in the morning
but this name was not mentioned. Poor Mr. Jamesson! I guess I’ve
found a clue.”
“That’s great! Good luck! We can go, Mr. O’Brien. We cannot
help with anything here. Even though the police have taken on this
case, I’m going to devote my time to solve it as well. I am extremely
interested in it.”
verify zweryfikować
missing brakujący
patient cierpliwy
proper właściwy
act
tu: zachować się
unreasonably nierozsądnie
remark zauważyć
stress podkreślić
trustworthy godny zaufania
one in a million jeden
z nielicznych
thoroughly dogłębnie
confirm potwierdzić
curly kręcony
draw
tu: wyciągać
hurry spieszyć się
painful bolesny
apartment mieszkanie
housekeeper gospodyni
leave for udać się do
follow śledzić
male męski
corridor korytarz
the Thames Tamiza
wallet portfel
recognize rozpoznać
burglary włamanie
take place mieć miejsce
mention wspomnieć
clue wskazówka
Good luck! Powodzenia!
take on
tu: zająć się
devote poświęcić
solve rozwiązać
as well także
7
CHAPTER 2
A POISONED ARROW
“This microphotography camera is incredible!” Dickson said. “It’s
very useful in my work.”
Saying this the detective picked up a photo and held it up to the
light.
“Perfect! The blood cells are clearly visible. Big pale circles with
a hollow in the middle. It’s pigeon’s blood.”
Tom, who was busy in another room developing photos, came in. He
was holding a few more pictures.
“They are all good,” he said. “It’s amazing how the blood cells of
various animals differ! A person who doesn’t know the miracles of
microphotography doesn’t realize how characteristic the blood cells
are because they cannot see them.”
“Of course,” the detective agreed. “It’s scientifically proven that the
shape of blood cells depends on the species.”
“Here you are. This is the photo you asked for.”
“Let’s take a good look at it. It’s a photo of the blood from the
notary’s office. Are you sure that you haven’t made a mistake, Tom?”
“Don’t worry. I developed this photo last. Its edges are still wet.”
The detective moved closer to the window.
“This blood has been taken from the bed on which the poor assistant
spent last night. It’s actually the last trace of him. We should compare
it with other samples that we have.”
“That’s impossible!” Tom Wills cried suddenly.
“What’s wrong?” the detective asked impatiently.
“This cannot be Mr. Jamesson’s blood,” Tom said.
“Why? I swear I took it from his bed.”
For a moment Tom stared at the detective not knowing what to say
but then he smiled and shouted:
“Hurray! I can solve this puzzle.”
“Well, then?” the detective asked.
“The whole incident had been very cleverly prepared. This is pig’s
blood. The assistant only pretended that something had happened to
him. He made a wound on his cheek himself and poured pig’s blood all
over his bed to make it look more serious.”
“Wonderful, my boy! I regret that I didn’t take you with me yesterday.
I noticed that Jamesson had made the hole in the door himself, again
pretending that somebody else had broken into the office.”
Tom Wills listened carefully.
“So, you are sure that the will was stolen.”
“I have no doubt about that. Mr. Firmont’s relatives knew very
well about his fortune and they had been trying to find it for years.
They suspected that the place where the treasure is hidden must be
described in the will. That’s why they delegated somebody to start
working in the notary’s office and then they were patiently waiting for
Mr. Firmont’s death.”
Tom Wills was observing his boss in a strange way, as if he knew a lot
more about the case.
arrow strzała
hold up
tu: podnieść
blood cells komórki krwi
clearly wyraźnie
visible widoczny
circle koło
hollow zagłębienie, wklęsłość
pigeon gołąb
develop photos wywoływać
zdjęcia
amazing zdumiewający
various rozmaity
differ różnić się
miracle cud
realize zdawać sobie sprawę
scientifically proven naukowo
dowiedziony
shape kształt
species gatunek
Here you are Proszę
edge krawędź
trace ślad
sample próbka
cry
tu: krzyknąć
impatiently niecierpliwie
swear przysięgać
stare gapić się
pretend udawać
pour rozlewać
regret żałować
delegate wyznaczyć
in a strange way w dziwny
sposób